September 2005 Headlines
September 30, 2005
Volleyball Cougars start Lindenwood University Invitational 2-0
St. Charles, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar volleyball squad improved to 15-1 today, picking up two wins in the Lindenwood University Invitational. The Cougars defeated Mid-America Nazarene (Kan.) University by scores of 30-21, 30-18, 30-19, and Culver-Stockton (Mo.) College by scores of 30-7, 30-14, and 30-23. Columbia is ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll.
Versus Mid-America Nazarene, Nancy Sikobe and Rose Obunaga led the cougars with 18 and 17 kills, respectively. Obunaga and Sikobe also added 13 digs each. Luana Branco chipped in 34 assists and 10 kills.
Leading the effort vs. Culver-Stockton was again Obunaga with 14 kill, 9 digs and five blocks and Sikobe with eight kills and 16 digs. Branco contributed with 36 assists and seven kills in the Cougars second win of the day.
The Cougars continue tomorrow in the Lindenwood Invitational, taking on mid-Missouri rival Central Methodist (Mo.) University at noon and Lindenwood University at 4 p.m.
September 28, 2005
Volleyball Cougars jump to No. 11 in NAIA Poll,
Soccer squad falls to No. 17
Columbia, Mo. – After winning two matches vs. American Midwest Conference (AMC) foes last week, the Columbia Cougar volleyball team jumped two spots to No. 11 in this week’s NAIA Top 25 Poll. The Cougars are 13-1 on the season and 6-0 in AMC play.
AMC foe Missouri Baptist University, who gave Columbia their lone loss of the season, moved up one spot from No. 10 to No. 9. Region V opponent Lindenwood (Mo.) University sits just outside the Top 25 at No. 28.
Fresno Pacific (Calif.) remained atop the volleyball rankings with 12 of the 13 first place votes and a mark of 12-0. National American (S.D.) again holds the No. 2 spot with a record of 19-0, followed by California Baptist at the No. 3 spot with a record of 13-2.
Luana Branco was honored as the AMC Setter of the Week. Branco played in six games for Columbia last week and totaled 74 assists, 14 digs, nine kills and four service aces. This is the third time in 2005 that Branco has earned AMC Setter of the Week accolades.
Columbia returns to the court this weekend when they travel to St. Charles, Mo. to compete in the Lindenwood University Invitational. Matches will take place this Friday and Saturday.
In the NAIA Top 25 Soccer Poll, the Cougars dropped from their No. 14 position to No. 17. Columbia is 4-1-3 on the season and 1-0-2 in AMC play.
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) remains undefeated at 7-0-0 and still holds the top spot in the national soccer rating. Rio Grande (Ohio) is ranked second followed by Auburn Montgomery (Ala.), Southern Nazarene (Okla.) and Berry (Ga.).
Lindenwood (Mo.), which is the top-ranked team in Columbia’s region, dropped two spots to the No. 11 position.
Senior midfielder Ivan Navarrete was named the AMC Soccer Player of the Week. Navarrete recorded one goal in both of Columbia’s matches last week. Against Harris Stowe (Mo.) Navarrete scored the game winning goal in a 3-0 victory. The following game against William Woods (Mo.) Navarrete scored the Cougars only goal in a 1-1 tie.
The soccer squad is back in action this Saturday, Oct. 1. The Cougars host Williams Baptist (Ark.) in another AMC match-up. Kickoff is slated for noon at R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium.
September 27, 2005
Volleyball Cougars down William Woods,
Soccer ends in a tie against Illinois-Springfield
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar soccer team moved to 4-1-3 on the season and 1-0-2 in American Midwest Conference (AMC) action tonight, tying the University of Illinois-Springfield by a score of 1-1. The Cougars are ranked No. 14 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll.
In the 27th minute Justin Robinson scored the only goal for the Cougars, assisted by Ivan Navarrete. In the 67th minute the Prairie Stars knotted the score at one when Michael Hutchinson scored. This is the second game in as many dates that the Cougars have ended the game in a 1-1 tie.
Nano Recondo recorded five saves in 110 minutes of action.
The soccer squad is back in action this Saturday, Oct. 1. The Cougars host Williams Baptist (Ark.) College in another AMC match-up. Kickoff is slated for noon at R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium.
In volleyball action the Columbia Cougars recorded another AMC win, dropping William Woods (Mo.) University by scores of 30-16, 30-21 and 30-20. The win pushes Columbia, who is ranked No. 13 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, to 13-1 on the season and 6-0 in Conference play.
Leading the way was Rose Obunaga with 17 kills and five blocks. Nancy Sikobe added eight kills to help the Cougars. Luana Branco had 29 assists and nine digs.
Columbia returns to the court this weekend when they hit the road to St. Charles, Mo. to compete in the Lindenwood University Invitational. Matches will take place on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. For more information and a tournament schedule please visit www.columbiacougars.com.
September 23, 2005
Soccer Cougars tie with William Woods University
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar soccer team tied with American Midwest Conference (AMC) foe William Woods University tonight, 1-1. Columbia, ranked No. 14 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, is now 1-0-1 in conference play and 4-1-2 overall.
In the second half of action Ivan Navarrete scored Columbia’s lone goal in the 65th minute of play. The Owls then tied the score in the 79th minute when Santiago Villegas scored off an assist by Jamie Davies. At the end of regulation time and two-ten minute golden goal over-time periods the score remained tied at 1.
Nano Recondo got the tie in goal for the Cougars. He totaled six saves in the match.
The soccer squad is back in action this Tuesday, Sept. 27, when they host the University of Illinois at Springfield in an AMC showdown. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium.
September 22, 2005
Cougars blitz Hannibal-LaGrange, stay unbeaten in AMC
Hannibal, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar volleyball team continued its march through the American Midwest Conference (AMC) regular season schedule tonight, downing Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) College by scores of 30-15, 30-8 and 30-10. With the win, the Cougars, who are the No. 13 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, improve to 12-1 overall and 5-0 in league play. Hannibal falls to 2-11 overall and 0-3 in the AMC.
Columbia put together a balanced offensive attack to dominate the Trojans. Rose Obunaga posted 15 kills, eight digs, three aces and 13 blocks. Doris Wafwafwa tallied 12 kills and seven digs, and Nancy Sikobe chipped in 11 kills and 15 digs. Cougar freshman setter Luana Branco totaled 37 assists and two aces in the win.
Columbia is back in action next Tuesday, Sept. 27, when they host William Woods (Mo.) University. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Arena of Southwell Complex.
September 21, 2005
Volleyball Cougars remain No. 13 in NAIA Poll, Soccer squad dips to No. 14
Columbia, Mo. – After winning two matches vs. American Midwest Conference (AMC) foes last week, the Columbia Cougar volleyball team held at No. 13 in this week’s NAIA Top 25 Rating. The Cougars are 11-1 on the season and 4-0 in AMC play.
AMC foe Missouri Baptist University, who gave Columbia their lone loss of the season, moved up one spot from last week’s poll from No. 11 to No. 10. Region V opponent Lindenwood (Mo.) University sits just outside the Top 25 at No. 27
Fresno Pacific (Calif.) University remained atop the volleyball rankings with 12 of the 13 first place votes and a mark of 11-0. National American (S.D.) University again holds the No. 2 spot, with a record of 18-0, and California Baptist University maintained the No. 3 spot with a record of 12-1.
Rose Obunaga was honored as the AMC and Region V Player of the Week. Obunaga played in six games for Columbia last week and totaled 28 kills and an attack percentage of .521. In addition, Obunaga tallied 22 digs, five solo blocks and nine assist blocks. This is the second time in 2005 that Obunaga has earned AMC and Region V Player of the Week accolades.
The Cougar volleyball squad returns to action tomorrow night. Columbia travels to Hannibal, Mo. to square off against AMC foe Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) College. The first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
In the NAIA Top 25 Soccer Rating, the Cougars dropped from their No. 12 position to No. 14. Columbia is 4-1-1 on the season and 1-0 in AMC play.
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) University is undefeated at 5-0-0 and still the owner of the top spot in the national soccer rating. Rio Grande (Ohio) University is ranked second, moving from the No. 3 spot it held last week. Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) University is third, followed by Southern Nazarene (Okla.) University and Berry (Ga.) College.
Lindenwood (Mo.) University, which is the top-ranked team in Columbia’s region, holds the No. 9 position in the nation.
Matt Mueller, a senior midfielder, was named the AMC Soccer Player of the Week. Mueller recorded one goal and two assists in the Cougars 3-1 win over last week’s No. 14 ranked University of Mobile. Mueller's goal against Mobile was the game-winner.
The Cougar soccer team returns to action on Friday, Sept. 23 when they host AMC foe William Woods (Mo.) University at 7 p.m. on R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium.
September 20, 2005
Cougar Soccer and Volleyball dominate during AMC wins
St. Louis, Mo. – The Cougar Soccer team opened American Midwest Conference (AMC) play this afternoon posting a 3-0 win over the Hornets from Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) College. With the victory the No. 12 ranked Cougars move to 4-1-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference play. Harris-Stowe falls to 0-8-0 on the season.
Columbia scored three goals in the final 30 minutes of play to secure the win. Midfielder Ivan Navarrete netted the game winning goal in the 70th minute off an assist from Judson Ball. In the 88th minute of play Justin Robinson scored from a Sam Gelven pass. Two minutes later Gelven tallied Columbia’s third goal from 40 yards out.
The Cougars completely dominated play with 25 shots, nine of which were on goal. Harris-Stowe did not manage a single shot in the match. Nano Recondo posted his third win and second shutout of the season in goal for the Cougars.
Columbia continues AMC regular season play at home this Friday against William Woods (Mo.) University. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Owens Soccer Stadium on the Columbia College campus.
Walnut Ridge, Ark. – The Cougar Volleyball team notched their second win over Williams Baptist (Ark.) College in the past four days defeating the Eagles 30-17, 30-18 and 30-13. Last Saturday the Cougars defeated the Eagles in three straight sets by the scores of 30-10, 30-12 and 30-12.
Today’s win improves Columbia’s overall record to 11-1 and 4-0 in AMC play. Williams Baptist falls to 6-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Rose Obunaga led the Cougars with 13 kills, 12 digs and two service aces. Doris Wefwafwa and Nancy Sikobe each contributed 11 kills. Luana Branco dished out 37 assists.
Columbia continues AMC play on the road this Thursday, when they travel to Hannibal, Mo. to face Hannibal-LaGrange College at 7 p.m.
September 17, 2005
Soccer Cougars pick up 3-1 win over No. 14 Mobile
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar soccer squad notched its third victory of the 2005 season tonight in the second day of the Columbia College Soccer Classic, defeating No. 14 University of Mobile (Ala.) 3-1. With the win, the Cougars who are currently ranked No. 12 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, improve to 3-1-1 on the season. In tonight’s first game No. 7 ranked Lindenwood (Mo.) University defeated No. 15 ranked Grand View (Iowa) College by a score of 4-1.
Columbia got on the board first when Marcos Fernandes found the back of the net in the 52nd minute of action. Matt Mueller put the Cougars up by two goals when he scored three minutes later off an assist from Ivan Navarrete. Mark Wilcox netted Columbia’s third goal in the 65th minute off an assist from Mueller. Mobile scored its lone goal of the match in the 70th minute.
The Rams notched 21 shots to Columbia’s 12. Nano Recondo got the win in goal for Columbia recording eight saves.
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 20, when they travel to St. Louis, Mo., to take on Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) College. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
September 17, 2005
Volleyball Cougars move to 3-0 in AMC
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar volleyball team remained undefeated in American Midwest Conference (AMC) action today, downing Williams Baptist (Ark.) College 30-10, 30-12 and 30-12 in the Arena of Southwell Complex. The victory moves the Cougars to 10-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play. Today’s loss drops the Eagles to 6-2 overall and 0-2 in league action.
Rose Obunaga led Columbia’s offensive effort, pounding 18 kills in 27 attempts. Doris Wefwafwa added 11 kills and 12 digs. Luana Branco added nine kills and 33 assists.
The Cougars totaled 13 service aces in the contest. In addition, Columbia held the Eagles to just nine kills in the match.
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 20, when they travel to Walnut Ridge, Ark. to once again take on the Eagles of Williams Baptist. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
September 16, 2005
Soccer Cougars fall to No. 15 Grand View College 0-2
Columbia, Mo. – In the first ever Columbia College Soccer Classic the Columbia Cougar soccer team was defeated by Grand View (Iowa) College tonight 0-2. The loss moves the Cougars, who are ranked No. 12 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, to 2-1-1 on the season. In the first game of the Classic No. 7 ranked Lindenwood (Mo.) University defeated No. 14 ranked University of Mobile by a score of 2-0.
Columbia’s Vladimir Roganovic was ejected from the contest in the 50th minute of action after receiving his second yellow card, forcing his squad to play with just ten players the remainder of the match. Grand View took advantage scoring the first goal in the 55th minute. The Vikings managed to put in another goal in the 75th minute, making the final score 2-0 in favor of Grand View.
Tanner Mills took the loss in goal for Columbia. He posted four saves in the contest.
The Columbia College Soccer Classic continues tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 17 with Lindenwood taking on Grand View at 5 p.m. followed by Columbia facing Mobile at 7 p.m. Both games will be played at R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium on the Columbia College campus.
September 14, 2005
Soccer Cougars jump to No. 12
Volleyball Cougars fall to No. 13
Olathe, Kan.. – The Columbia College soccer team moved up six spots in this week’s NAIA Top 25 Poll to the No. 12 position. The Cougar volleyball team fell nine spots to the No. 13 position.
The Cougar soccer team played one match last week, upsetting Baker University, previously ranked No. 10, on the road by a score of 1-0. With the loss, Baker fell completely out of the Top 25. Marcos Fernandes, who scored the game winning goal for the Cougars last Wednesday, was named the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Player of the Week for his efforts.
Three nationally ranked soccer teams come to Columbia this weekend to join the Cougars in a series of matches. On Friday at 5 p.m. No. 7 ranked Lindenwood (Mo.) University, defending NAIA National Champion, will take on No. 14 ranked University of Mobile (Ala.), 2003 NAIA National Champion. Columbia squares off against No. 15 ranked Grand View (Iowa) College at 7:00 p.m.
On Saturday, Lindenwood will battle Grand View at 5 p.m., followed by Columbia College against Mobile at 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. All games will be played at R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium.
The Cougar volleyball team posted a 4-1 record last week and fell nine spots to No. 13 in this week’s NAIA Top 25 poll. Columbia defeated McKendree (Ill.) College to open AMC play, but could only manage a third place finish at the Graceland University Pizza Shack Invitational after falling to Region V and AMC foe Missouri Baptist University in the semifinal match.
The top three teams, Fresno Pacific (Calif.), National American (S.D.) and California Baptist all remained at the top of this week’s poll. Missouri Baptist moved up from their No. 19 ranking to the No. 11 position with their win over Columbia last weekend.
For the second consecutive week, Luana Branco has been selected as the AMC Setter of the Week. Branco registered 176 assists in five matches last week, averaging better than 10 assists per game. She also had 17 kills with an attack percentage of .356. Branco also contributed 13 blocks and 70 digs.
The Cougar volleyball team returns to action at home on Saturday, Sept. 17, when they take on AMC foe Williams Baptist (Ark.) College. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Arena of Southwell Complex.
September 13, 2005
Cougar volleyball moves to 9-1, downing UIS
Springfield, Ill. – The Cougar volleyball team improved to 9-1 tonight, scoring an American Midwest Conference (AMC) win over the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS). Columbia, who is ranked No. 4 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, defeated the Prairie Stars 30-16, 30-17, 30-18, to move to 2-0 in the conference. The loss drops UIS to 3-9 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Doris Wefwafwa totaled 20 kills, nine digs and one service ace. Rose Obunaga recorded 21 kills, 17 digs and one ace. Nancy Sikobe added 24 kills and eight digs. Luana Branco contributed 61 assists, 13 digs and 10 kills.
The Cougars return to action at home on Saturday, Sept. 17, when they take on AMC foe Williams Baptist (Ark.) College. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Arena of Southwell Complex.
September 13, 2005
Cougar athletic department helps out Hurricane Katrina victims
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College athletic department, in conjunction with the University of Missouri, ABC-17, MFA Oil, Forum Development Group, Mike Kehoe Auto Group, and Cumulous Broadcasting, joined in the effort to help the victims of hurricane Katrina this afternoon. Student-athletes helped load 94 cases of water, one case for each Cougar student-athlete, into a trailer that will be delivered to the affected areas later this week.
Additionally, the Cougar softball team has been collecting donations for the past two weeks to aid in the relief effort. In just two weeks the Cougar women have collected over $1,800. The donation has been given directly to the American Red Cross.
September 10, 2005
Volleyball Cougars split in the second day of the Graceland University Invitational
Lamoni, Iowa – The Columbia Cougar volleyball team managed a split in the second day of competition at the Graceland University Pizza Shack Invitational today. The Cougars fell to American Midwest Conference (AMC) foe Missouri Baptist University, 29-31, 21-30, 31-33, and then came back to drop Northwestern College 30-20, 30-27, 27-30, 28-30, 15-12. The Cougars, who are ranked No. 4 in the NAIA Top 25 Poll, move to 8-1 on the season.
After two wins yesterday in the invitational, Columbia finished first in their pool and were placed in the championship bracket. The Cougars struggled against the Spartans from Missouri Baptist and had trouble gaining the lead throughout the match. Doris Wafwafwa led Columbia with 15 kills and six digs. Rose Obunaga posted 14 kills, eight digs and four blocks. Luana Branco added 34 assists
With the loss, Columbia fell into the third place game against Northwestern College. The Cougars again struggled, finally pulling out a five set victory. Obunaga led with 30 kills, 18 digs and 12 blocks. Wafwafwa had 19 kills, 24 digs, while Nancy Sikobe added six kills, 18 digs and seven blocks. Branco also recorded 51 assists and 19 digs.
The Cougars return to action this Tuesday, Sept. 13, when they travel to Springfield, Ill. to take on the University of Illinois-Springfield in an AMC match-up. Start time is slated for 7 p.m.
September 9, 2005
Cougars start Graceland volleyball tournament 2-0
Lamoni, Iowa – The Columbia Cougar volleyball team scored two wins today in the Graceland University Pizza Shack Invitational, downing the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) and Doane College (Neb.). The Cougars dropped Sioux Falls by scores of 30-20, 30-21 and 30-24 and topped Doane 30-24, 30-18 and 30-26. The wins move Columbia, who is ranked No. 4 in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, to 7-0 on the season.
Versus Sioux Falls, Doris Wefwafwa totaled 25 kills and 11 digs. Rose Obunaga added 12 kills and three blocks. Alice Mucheke also recorded 15 kills during the match. Luana Branco contributed 36 assists, two blocks and two service aces.
Obunaga led the offensive effort for Columbia against Doane with 16 kills, 12 digs and two blocks. Wefwafwa tallied 15 kills, 20 digs and two blocks. Branco matched her 36 assists and two service aces from today’s first game.
With their two victories, the Cougars move into the double-elimination tournament as the top seed from their pool. Columbia will play tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. against the winner of tonight’s match between Missouri Baptist University and Peru State (Neb.) College. A win would put the Cougars in the championship match at 4:15 p.m.
September 8, 2005
Columbia College’s 2005 Athletic Hall of Fame induction slated for Friday, Oct. 7
Columbia, Mo. – Dr. Gerald Brouder, Columbia College president, and Bob Burchard, athletic director, will induct the third class of the Columbia College Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 7 at The Historic Tiger Hotel. Brouder officially announced today that the class will include Brandon Beza, Eldon Drennan, Brad Jenks, Gloria McCloskey Rogers and Zhe Yang.
Brandon Beza was a Cougar basketball player from 1991-95, and became the fourth member of the Cougar Basketball Century Club by finishing with a career record of 104-36 (.743). Beza was selected for all-conference in his junior and senior seasons and named third team All-American in his senior season. Beza played in every game during his four-year career and now ranks fourth in career points (1,593) and fifth in career rebounds (581). After his senior season, Beza became an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team for the 1995-96 season. Beza graduated from Columbia College in May 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Eldon Drennan made enormous contributions to Columbia College as a coach with outstanding accomplishments and as a staff member. Drennan became Columbia College’s first dean of men in 1970 when the college began admitting men. He immediately organized and coached teams in baseball, tennis (co-ed), basketball, golf and club soccer. Women’s teams in basketball, softball and volleyball quickly followed. In 1971, Drennan’s baseball team recorded the college’s first athletic victory with a win over Central Methodist College. For seven years he coached the baseball team, compiling more than 100 victories.
Drennan eventually shifted to the positions of director of athletics and director of student activities, overseeing substantial growth in the athletic program. He recruited talented coaches for soccer, women’s softball, women’s basketball, tennis, golf and volleyball. Drennan’s direct leadership in the athletic program ended in the late 1970s with a change in administrative responsibilities to dean of students and vice-president for student life. In the classroom, he taught philosophy, journalism and human relations.
Brad Jenks had significant academic and athletic success in his four-year Columbia College career. From 1996-99 Jenks led the Cougar soccer team to a 64-26 (.711) record. In his senior campaign, he led the Cougars to a historic first and only 20-win season. Jenks ranks second in career games played with 89. He was a three-time first team all-conference selection and was named the conference player of the year his junior and senior seasons. Jenks also was recognized as a first team all-region player all four years and named the region player of the year his senior season.
Jenks earned national recognition for his accomplishments. He is the only Cougar athlete in the history of Columbia College to place on four All-American teams and be named a two-time NAIA All-America Scholar Athlete. Jenks received honorable mentions for All-American as a freshman and sophomore, and second team his junior and senior seasons. He achieved NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete twice for maintaining a 3.6 GPA during his junior and senior years. In May 2000, Jenks earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Columbia College.
Gloria McCloskey Rogers has the distinction of being a part of national baseball history and a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1954, Rogers played for the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League team. The same league featured in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own.”
Rogers later played for the Goetz Country Club, a softball team in St. Joseph, Mo., that was top-ranked nationally. While at Christian College, she participated in the horsemanship program, tennis, field hockey and the synchronized swimming team. She was voted Christian College’s Athletic Queen in 1955. Rogers later attended Northeast Missouri State University, earning a degree in physical education and dramatics.
Zhe Yang was a key player in Columbia College’s first volleyball national championship in 1998. During her three seasons as the Cougars’ setter, Yang led the team to a 132-5 (.964) record. She was a three-time first team All-American and was named the NAIA Player of the Year in her junior and senior seasons. Yang also participated in three conference and regional tournament championships and helped secure third- and fifth-place finishes at the NAIA National Tournament during her sophomore and junior seasons respectively.
Yang continued her volleyball career after Columbia College in the United States Professional Volleyball League, competing first with the USPV All-Stars against international teams, and then with the Chicago Thunder during the USPV’s 2002 inaugural season. A May 1999 Columbia College graduate, Yang earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in international business.
The 2005 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at The Historic Tiger Hotel, Grand Ballroom. Tickets for the Oct. 7 event are $30. For more information, contact Jane Long at (573) 875-7433.
September 7, 2005
Cougar volleyball opens AMC play with a victory
Lebanon, Ill. – The Cougar volleyball team improved to 5-0 tonight scoring an American Midwest Conference (AMC) win over McKendree (Ill.) College. Columbia defeated the Bearcats 30-28, 30-22, 30-23 to move to 1-0 in the conference. The loss drops McKendree to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Columbia, who is ranked No. 4 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, fell one spot from their No. 3 preseason ranking despite a perfect 4-0 record last week. Fresno Pacific (Calif.) is the new No. 1 ranked team in this week’s poll followed by National American (S.D.) and California Baptist. AMC foe Missouri Baptist jumped into the Top 25 this week at the No. 19 position.
Rose Obunaga, a senior outside hitter from Nairobi, Kenya, has been named the AMC and NAIA Region V Player of the Week for Aug. 29-Sept. 4. Obunaga recorded 57 kills in 87 attempts for a .589 kill percentage. She also tallied five service aces and four digs per game while recording 0.67 blocks per game.
Luana Branco, a freshman setter from Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been named the AMC and NAIA Region V Setter of the Week for Aug. 29-Sept. 4. Branco piled up 146 assists in 12 games for an average of 12.2 assists per game. Branco also added 39 digs, 15 blocks and two service aces to her totals this past week.
Jenna Holdmeyer, a senior from Marthasville, Mo., has been selected as the AMC Libero of the Week for Aug. 29-Sept. 4. In 12 games, Holdmeyer had 22 digs with 61 pass receptions. She also collected two service aces for the Cougars.
The Cougars travel to Lamoni, Iowa this weekend to participate in the Graceland University/Pizza Shack Invitational. Once game times and opponents have been announced, they will be posted on www.columbiacougars.com.
September 7, 2005
No. 18 Cougars upset No. 10 Wildcats
Baldwin City, Kan. – The Cougar soccer team improved to 2-0-1 this evening, defeating Region V foe Baker (Kan.) University by a score of 1-0. With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 2-1-0 on the season.
The Cougars are ranked No. 18 in the latest NAIA Top 25 poll, released today by the national office. Region rival Lindenwood (Mo.) held onto the No. 1 ranking for the second straight week. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) holds the No. 2 ranking followed by Berry (Ga.) and Rio Grande (Ohio). Baker (Kan.) jumped five spots in the poll to No. 10.
Columbia’s Marcos Fernandes scored the lone goal of the match in the 80th minute off an assist from Justin Robinson.
The Cougars and Wildcats each recorded seven shots. Nano Recondo got the win in goal for Columbia making seven saves.
The Cougars return to action at home on Friday, Sept. 16, when they take on No. 16 ranked Grand View (Iowa) College. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Owens Soccer Stadium.
September 3, 2005
Soccer Cougars pick up 1-0 win over Northwestern
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar soccer squad notched its first victory of the 2005 season tonight, defeating Northwestern (Iowa) College 1-0. This was also the first home game on the newly renovated R. Marvin Owens soccer stadium. With the win, the Cougars improve to 1-0-1 on the season. Columbia is ranked No. 19 in the NAIA top 25 preseason poll.
Columbia’s Sam Gelven scored the only goal of the match. Gelven’s goal came in the ninth minute of action, off an assist from Chris Wright.
The Cougars notched 15 shots to the Raiders five. Tanner Mills tallied the win in goal for Columbia with two saves.
The Cougars return to action on Wednesday, Sept. 7, when they travel to Baldwin City, Kan. to take on Baker University. The Wildcats are ranked No. 15 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
September 3, 2005
Cougars go undefeated
Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar Volleyball team improved their record to 4-0 today with two wins at the Best Western/KMIZ Classic. The Cougars defeated Peru State College 3-0, (30-24, 30-21, 30-24) and the University of Illinois-Springfield 3-0 (30-17, 30-18, 30-21). The Cougars are ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll.
Versus Peru State, Rose Obunaga dominated with 18 kills, 20 digs and five blocks. Doris Wafwafwa had 12 kills and Alice Mucheke added 10. Wafwafwa also posted 24 digs. Luana Branco had 40 assists.
Wafwafwa led the way against the University of Illinois at Springfield with 14 kills. Obunaga totaled 11 kills and 13 digs, while Nancy Sikobe chipped in 10 kills. Branco added 36 assists.
The Cougars return to the court this Wednesday, Sept. 7 when they travel to Lebanon, Ill. to take on American Midwest Conference (AMC) foe McKendree College. Start time is 7 p.m.
For a complete results of the Best Western/KMIZ Classic please visit www.columbiacougars.com.
September 2, 2005
Cougars win two in first day of KMIZ/Best Western Classic
Columbia, Mo. – The Cougar volleyball team picked up two wins today at the KMIZ/Best Western Classic, dropping the University of St. Francis (Ill.) in three games (30-17, 30-21, 30-10) and Culver Stockton (Mo.) College in three games (30-9, 30-6, 30-12). The Cougars, who are ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll, improve to 2-0 on the season.
Columbia’s first match of the day vs. the University of St. Francis, the Cougars put together a balanced offensive effort to put away the Lady Saints in straight sets. Doris Wafwafwa and Rose Obunaga totaled 13 and 12 kills respectively. Luana Branco added 37 assists, contributed eight digs and five blocks.
Against Region V foe Culver-Stockton College, the Cougars again dominated, recording a three-game victory. Obunaga posted 16 kills, Wafwafwa had 12, and Nancy Sikobe added 10. Branco also recorded 33 assists.
The Cougars continue play in the KMIZ/Best Western Classic tomorrow when they take on Peru State College at 11:30 a.m. and the University of Illinois-Springfield at 4:30 p.m.
For a complete schedule of Saturday’s games please visit www.columbiacougars.com.
